Propagation of sound in a cylindrical waveguide (CWG) currently relies on mechanical movement of a piston or speaker cone along the axis of the CWG. Analysis of CWGs can be found in numerous sources including: Leo A. Beranek, “Acoustics,” Acoustical Society of America, 1993; Frank Fahy, “Foundations of Engineering Acoustics,” Elsevier Academic Press, 2007.
The use of a piston or speaker cone to convert electrical energy into acoustic energy is well known in the art. Pistons and speakers require a mechanical motion to displace a medium, such as air or water, to form an acoustic wave. However, the mechanical movement required of a piston or speaker cone to convert electrical energy into acoustic energy has several disadvantages including mechanical failure, lack of low frequency response and the sound pressure level loss in the propagated acoustic wave. Since the piston or speaker cone is a point source, amplification of the acoustic wave after an acoustic wave is propagated from the piston or speaker cone is difficult without very complex and expensive electronics.
What is needed is a system and method for generating acoustic waves in the infrasound, audible sound and ultrasound regions that can be amplified and propagated using a simple, but robust system.